The first tattoos Kate gets are to commemorate her parents. She'd lost them both so close together, and then she had lost the life she'd believed that she was supposed to live. Everything had changed in a matter of months and was still changing- on what felt like a daily basis. Kate had needed something to hold on to, something to remember the people who had raised her and had had such a big influence on her character and beliefs.
On the inside of both wrists just, below where the skin creases when bend your wrists, she now has a small Botonee Cross. The long arm of the cross is pointing from her elbow to her hand and the shorter one traverses her wrist. Both tattoos are outlined in black with right one having sky blue shading and the left one having apple green shading. Kate felt that this sign of their faith and her of dwindling belief were best represented by these symbols of the Christian faith
Both her parents when she remembers them at their happiest had strong faith, her Dad was the consummate minister, happy to preach, but just as happy to take part in feeding the poor and counselling young couples. Her mother appeared to be just as good at being the minsters wife. She was on all the local committees, took her fair share of Sunday school classes and was the first at a new neighbour's door with a casserole and traybake.
Kate had made Seth take her to get her first tattoo- he had the experience and knew what to look for in a good artist. He argued against it, his over protective mode had been in high gear. He'd argued about her age, the fact that a tattoo is for life and finally about the fact that she was still grieving and it wasn't the best time to make these decisions. Kate had thought through all these things points, in fact, she'd spent a lot of their time together contemplating her life and decisions she'd made since the Titty Twister.
Eventually she'd managed to wear him down with her with counter arguments, with her continued explanations into why she needed to do this and finally with her tears. She's pretty sure the tears are what finally made him cave. He'd found them an artist and had held her unoccupied hand throughout the procedure- she's still not sure who was holding who tighter.
The second tattoo she got had been particularly painful- not just physically. She'd had to find her own tattoo artist that time. Seth was no longer by her side to guide her. They'd parted ways a couple of weeks before- reluctantly on her part- on a dark Mexican road, leaving her desolate as she watched his form disappearing into the darkness.
They'd had a huge, but short blow out in the car, she'd wanted to find her brother, whereas he'd wanted to forget that his had ever existed- had ever betrayed him. They'd both still been grieving and unfortunately their choices of ways to grieve had been light years apart.
Kate has chosen to learn as much as she could about Culebras in the hopes that she could find Scott and be able to help him live with this new life. Seth had chosen to drown himself in copious amounts of alcohol, and had developed a drug habit just to be able to cope with moving on and forgetting about his brother. This had eventually caused the conflict that had dissolved their partnership and had led to them being physically miles apart.
This tattoo was just for Seth- it would not be on show for everyone to see and make judgements on. Kate had it tattooed just in from her right hip and far enough down that it is completely covered by a bikini. The tattoo is a small leopard gecko, in shades a blue and green covered in dark spots and clutching a heart.
The symbolism is obvious to Kate- Leopard Gecko for the man stuck in the circle of crime and pain, unwilling to get out and change. The Heart he's holding is hers. She hadn't been fully aware of it as they parted ways, but she'd left her heart with him on that Mexican back road. She hopes the placement- on her right side so his left hand will easily find it, and the symbolism will be just as significant to the man with her heart as it is to her. She hopes that one day he'll pull down her panties and see this tattoo in its hiding place - placed there just for them.
Kate is back at the tattoo parlour looking through the books for her next tattoo. She's found that she loves her tattoos. She sees the crosses for her parents every day and they add a little lightness to her otherwise dark life. She catches a glimpse of her gecko every time she exits the shower- it's a bright flash of colour against her pale skin. At night before she goes to sleep, she gentle caresses the little gecko clutching the bright red heart and thinks about Seth.
This time she's going to get a tattoo for Scott. Whatever or where ever he is, he'll always be her little brother. She's always going to remember the good times- she's also going to remember the family dinners, the family outings and the way they would tease each other about boys and girls. It doesn't matter what the future holds for him or what decisions she may have to make- they will always be family.
Now does she get a yin yang or Luchador!